News

Volume 4 Issue 4 - February 15, 2006

Implement 3% reservation for disabled people in state-aided NGOs: M.S.J.E.

D.N.I.S. News Network – In a move that could expand employment opportunities for disabled people, the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) has added them alongside Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes for job reservation in non-governmental organisations receiving government aid above Rs 20 lakh.

The move was much needed as the three per cent reservation in jobs for disabled people mandated under the Disability Act 1995 has been long pending with very few disabled people finding employment even in the social sector.

The Ministry of Social Justice’s missive to all ministries and government departments comes after the General Finance Rules (G.F.R.) 2005, which govern quota rules in the non-governmental organisations, gave a complete go-by to disabled people. In force since July 2005, the G.F.R. stipulated reservation in non-governmental organisations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and for other Backward Castes.

To ensure that the attempt to give a place to the disabled in NGOs does not remain on paper, the Ministry of Social Justice has sought an annual report from all ministries on the status of disabled people’s on their employment in voluntary organisations receiving aid from them. A media report quoting sources said the fresh step is to neutralise the lacunae in the G.F.R.

The ministry has based the rationale of extending quota to disabled people on the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995. It mandates three per cent of the jobs for persons with blindness or low vision; hearing impairment or locomotor disability/cerebral palsy, against posts identified for them, in all government and aided establishments.

Incorporating the criteria for reservation in non-governmental organisations, the order states that voluntary organisations, with an annual grant of Rs 20 lakh and workforce of over 20 persons, would have to implement the quota regime.